Check-row corn-planter.



A. STAYMAN. CHECK ROW CORN PLANTER. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1o, 190s.

Patented Dec.21, 1909.

4 BHEETS-8HBBT 1.

A. STAYMAN.

'CHECK ROW CORN PLANIER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1o, 1908.

Patented De@.21,19o9.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A. STAYMAN. CHECK ROW GORN PLANTER. APPLIoATIoN FILED s112110, 1908.

943,713. x 1 Patented ne.z1,19o9.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A. STAYMAN. CHECK ROW CORN PLANTBR. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1o, 1908.

Patented Dec. 2l, 1909. 4 SHEETS-SHEET UNTED STATES PA FQE.

ABRAHAM STAYMAN, OF PLEASANT HOPE, MISSOURI.

CHECK-ROW' CORN-PLANTER.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ABRAHAM STAYMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pleasant Hope, in the county of Polk, State of Missouri,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Check-Row Corn-Planters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention has reference to improvements in check-row cornplanters. In planters of this type, as ordinarily constructed, it hasbeen found necessary for the driver, upon reaching the end of a furrow,to alight from the machine, unfasten the check-wire and remove theanchor, before turning the machine into position to travel along thesucceeding furrow, the wire being subsequently re-fastened, the severaloperations occasioning considerable delay, in the aggregate, during theplanting of a field.

lt is the principal object of this invention, therefore, to provide aplanter which, while being at least equally as efiicient as the machineswhich include check wires, is much more simple in its construction,inasmuch as the necessity for the use of the check-wire is overcome bythe employment of a simple device which is connected with the droppershaft and is automatically actuated at predetermined intervals to effecta discharge o-f seeds from the boot or boots.

To this end, the invention generally comprises a disk attached to theaxle of the machine and provided with a series of lugs or cams arrangedat equal distances from each other, these lugs being adapted tosuccessively engage and actuate a bell-crank lever, one arm of whichbeing connected to an arm carried by the operating shaft for the seedboxes and the novelty of t-he invention especially residing in theparticular construction of the lever, in the particular manner in whichthe lugs are secured to the disk, and in the particular devices employedfor shifting the latter into and out of engagement with a 'clutch memberlikewise carried by the axle of the machine.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which corresponding parts or features, aredesignated by the same reference characters throughout the severalviews.

Of the said drawings, Figure l is a side Specification of LettersPatent.

Application led September 10, 1908.

Patented Dec. 21, 1909.

serial No. 452,434.

elevation of the complete invention, one of the supporting wheels beingremoved. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken onthe line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. et is an enlarged detail view of thebell-crank lever. Fig. 5 is a collective view of the disk and the collarwith which it is arranged for engagement, one of the lugs being omittedfrom the disk, to illustrate the slot formed therein. Fig. 6 is areverse view of the disk, illustrating the teeth formed on its hub. Fig.7 is an enlarged detail view of the toothed bolt. Fig'. 8 is an enlargeddetail view partly in section of the marker carried by the operatingshaft.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, l designates generally themain rectangular frame of the machine which carries the axle 2, and 3 asecond or supplemental frame of similar shape, which supports therunners or furrow openers 8 and is secured to the front member of themain frame, the lengt-h of the last-mentioned frame being such that itextends at opposite ends beyond the sides of the main frame, as shown inFig. 2. This frame 3 carries the dropper mechanism which may be of anypreferred type, including' the seed boxes et, and upper and lowertransverse shafts 5 and 6, the shaft 5 being operatively connected withthe dropper plates (not shown).

The axle 2 upon whose ends are mounted the supporting wheels 9, carriesa sprocket l0 connected by a chain l1 with a smaller sprocket 12 securedto the shaft 5, the rotation of the axle thus effecting the rotation ofsaid shaft and the consequent movement of the dropper plates abovereferred to, the registration of the openings in said plates with theopenings in the bottom of the boxes, permitting the grains of corn topass into the boots. These plates, as well as the valves in the boots,are of the ordinary construction, as above stated, and illustrationthereof is for this reason omitted. The axle is further provided with acollar -13 held in adjusted position by a set screw or similar device,and having an annular series of teeth 14 formed on its inner face, andwith a disk 15 slidable loosely thereon toward and from the collar, ashereinafter described. The outer face of this disk is formed with abushing in which is cut an annular series of teeth 1G arranged forengagement with the teeth 14, while the inner face of said disk isprovided with an integral hub 17 in which a circumscribing groove 1S isformed, the outer face of the hub being in turn toothed, as indicated bythe numeral 19. In addition, the disk 15 has formed therein a series ofequi-distant slots 20, through which extend the bolts 21, by means ofwhich a series of tapered lugs 22 are fastened to the outer face of thedisk, the provision of the slots permitting a slight adjustment of saidlugs, as will be apparent. The side member of the main frame adjacentthe disk 15 has secured thereto a laterally-projecting bolt 23 having atoothed head 2&1-, said bolt being located directly opposite the teeth19 formed upon the hub 17. Owing to this construction, 1t will beobvious that the disk may be shifted in one direction upon the axle toeffect the engagement of its teeth 16 with the teeth 14 formed on thecollar 13, and in the other direction to engage the toothed head of thebolt 23 with its teeth 19, said disk being caused to rotate when in thefirst-mentioned position, and being held against rotation when in thelast-mentioned position. The shifting movement of the disk is effectedby means of a lever 25 pivoted adjacent its lower end to a lateralfinger 2G formed upon the lower portion of a vertical rod 27 whoseextreme lower end is rigidly secured to the adjacent side member of themain frame. The extreme upper end of the rod 27 is bent laterally in thesame direction as the finger 2G, said bent end which is designated bythe numeral 23 being provided with a series of notches 29, which serveto retain the lever 25 in one position or the other. The ex? treme lowerend of the lever is provided with a yoke 30 which straddles the hub 17and fits in the groove 1S formed in the latter, the free ends of thelegs of the yoke being secured in said groove in any preferred manner.

Vhen the disk 15 has been shifted into its operative position, c'. e.,in engagement with the toothed collar 13, its lugs 22 lie in the path ofmotion of and are arranged to successively engage the free end of thehorizontal arm 31 of a bell-crank lever pivoted aty its apex to abracket32 which projects laterally from and is secured to the adjacent sidemember of the frame 3. The vertical arm 33 of this lever is directlyconnected by a stiff wire link 341 to the free end of an arm 35, whichprojects laterally from and is rigidly connected to the valve-operatingshaft 6, said shaft being termed hereinafter the operating shaft. Thehorizontal arm 31 of the bell-crank lever is preferably formed in twosections, as shown in Fig. 4L, said sections being pivoted together attheir mutually-adjacent inner ends, the inner end of the outer sectionof said arm terminating in a finger 36 which rests on the inner section.This construction permits said outer section to be swung outwardlywithout effecting the actuation of the bell-crank levers when the diskis rotated reversely in the event of any backward movement of themachine as a whole.

The operating shaft extends at its right hand end beyond the adjacentend of the frame 3 and is provided at such point with a crank-arni 37attached thereto by a set screw or similar device. This arm is formedwith a reduced outer end arranged to be received in a socket formed inthe side of a tubular member 33, said member having slidably fittedthereon the stem of a marker 39, which is yieldingly held at the limitof its outward movement by means of an cxpansible coil spring 10. Thisspring is located within the interior of the member 33', bearing at oneend against a shoulder 41 carried by the stem and at the other endagainst an interiorly located partition plate @t2 formed with an axialopening through which said stem extends. The attachment between thecrankarm and the member 38 is likewise effected by means of a lock nut38 which is carried by the latter and is arranged to impinge against thereduced end of the crank arm, such construction permitting an adjustmentof said member and the marker carried thereby, as will be apparent, therotation of the crank-arm effecting the actuation of the marker.

During the travel of the machine over the ground to be planted, it willbe apparent that when the disk 15 which forms the sliding clutch memberis engaged with the fast collar or clutch member 13, the successivecontact of the lugs 22 with the end of the horizontal arm of thebell-crank lever will rock the latter upon its pivot, the movement ofsaid lever opening the boot valves at predetermined intervals, thuspermitting the grains to be discharged from the boots into the hills.Vhen the end of the row is reached, the disk is thrown out of engage`ment with the fast clutch member. The machine is then turned around,until its boots aline with the last mark made by the marker blade, afterwhich the disk is then revolved manually or otherwise, until one of thelugs 22 rests upon the free end of the horizontal arm of the bell-cranklever in position to actuate the latter. The disk is then rengaged withthe fast clutch member. The cross rows thus formed will be uniform, aswill be obvious.

Further description of the operation of the invention is deemedunnecessary in view of the foregoing.

Vhat is claimed is:

1. In a planter, the combination of a frame; an axle and an operatingshaft carried by the frame; a disk carried by the axle and provided withradially disposed elongated slots, lugs adjustably connected in saidslots; a bell-crank lever pivotally connected with the frame, a trip arm`pivoted to one of the arms of the lever and normally extending to thepath of movement of rotation of the disk in one direction; an armsecured to the operating shaft; and a member connected at its oppositeends to the last-meiitioned arm and the other arm of the lever, foractuating the operating shaft when the lever is rocked.

2. In a planter, the combination of a frame; an axle and an operatingshaft carried by the frame; a clutch member fast upon the axle; a diskslidable upon the axle and having one face thereof formed With a clutchsurface and provided With radially disposed slots; lugs adjustablyconnected in said slots; means for shifting the disk upon the axle, tomove its clutch surface into and out of engagement ivitli said clutchmember; a bell-crank lever pivotally connected With t-he frame andhaving one of its arms extending into the path of movement of the lugs,for actuation thereby during the rotation of the disk; an arm secured tothe operating shaft; and a member'conn'ected at its opposite ends to thelast mentioned arm and the other arm of the lever, for actuating theoperating shaft when the lever is rocked.

3. In a planter, the combination of a fra-me; an axle and an operatingshaft carried by the frame; fast and loose clutch members carried by theaxle, the loose clutch member being formed on one face with a series oflugs and on the other face With a toothed hub; a toothed member securedto the frame directly opposite said hub; a lever for shifting said looseclutch member into engagement with the fast clutch member or With saidtoothed member, to rotate said loose clutch member or hold the sameagainst rotation; a tivo armed rocking member pivotally connected Withthe frame,

I and having one of its arms extending into the-liigs, for actuationthereby, during the the path of movement of the lugs, for actuationthereby, during the rotation of the disk; an arm secured to theoperating shaft; and a member connected at its opposite ends to thclast-mentioned arm and the other arm of the lever, for actuating theoperating shaft when the lever is rocked.

4L. In a planter, the combination of a frame, an axle and an operatingshaft carried by the frame; fast and loose clutch members carried by theaxle, the loose clutch member being formed on one face With a series oflugs, and on the other face With a toothed hub; a laterally-projectingbolt secured to the frame directly opposite said hub, said bolt beingformed ivith a toothed head; a lever for shifting said loose clutchmember into engagement With the fast clutch member or With the toothedhead of said bolt, to rotate said loose clutch member or hold the sameagainst rotation; a twoarmed rocking member pivotally connected iviththe frame, and having one of its arms extending into the path ofmovement of the lugs, for actuation thereby, during the rotation of thedisk; an arm secured to the operating shaft; and a member connected atits opposite ends to the last-mentioned arm and the other arm of thelever, for actuating the operating shaft, when the lever is rocked.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in presence of tivoWitnesses.

ABRAHAM STAYMAN.

Witnesses WVM. C. GrooDNiGH'r, R. W. H. RYMER.

